1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to golf clubs, and more particularly to a golf club with a head having a plurality of exchangeable face plates.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
When playing golf, it is necessary to carry a number of clubs because each club is fashioned to provide certain characteristics to the ball when it is hit. The club chosen to hit the ball is determined by such factors as the lie of the ball, the distance from the hole, the obstacles in the flight path, wind conditions, and the amount of backspin desired. In order to have a particular club for a particular shot it is necessary for the golfer to carry a complete set of clubs or to use a cart or caddy for such purposes. It would therefore be desirable to provide fewer clubs with correspondingly less expense and less weight to carry without sacrificing the advantages of having the proper club for any shot.
Golf club heads having exchangeable face plates are known in the art. There are several patents which disclose golf club heads with exchangeable face plates of various construction.
McLaughlin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,253,700 discloses a golf club head having an exchangeable face plate and a telescoping handle and shaft which is variable in length to accord with the angle of the face plate selected. The face plate is inserted into a dovetail groove in the club head and secured by a spring latch mechanism.
Wettlaufer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,056,335 discloses a club head having an opening between its top and bottom edges and onto which a reversable inner plate and face plate are mounted by means of a wing nut. The inner plate tapers in the direction of its length and the face plate tapers in the direction of its height. The wing nut is inserted through the pivotal center of both plates. Projections on the inner and outer surface of the inner plate are received in openings in the club head and face plate to prevent accidental pivotal displacement. In use, the inner plate may be reversed to change the lateral inclination of the face plate, and/or the face plate may be reversed to change the vertical inclination. The club head weight may also be altered by weights inserted into threaded recesses in the club head.
Theibault, U.S. Pat. No. 2,211,638 discloses a golf club having an exchangeable face plate which is locked thereon by a rotatable shaft extending through the club head and having a pivotal locking lever at the side of the head.
Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,552 discloses golf club head having a recess in the face into which are clamped a plurality of relatively movable, removable wooden layers or laminations having their outer edges exposed to form the striking surface. The laminations are adjustable such that the outer edges may be disposed at any desired angle according the angle of loft desired.
Baldwin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,812 discloses a club head onto which an inner or receiving plate is mounted with screws. A series of exchangeable face plates each have three male "snap fit" projections which are received in female recesses in the receiving plate. The projections expand into the recesses to attach the face plate to the club head.
Maxel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,149 discloses a golf club head having a hollow interior with an opening onto the front face. A plurality of exchangeable face plates are mounted by screws on the front face closing off the opening.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a golf club head having a generally rectangular recess extending inwardly a short distance from the outer surface of the face to receive a selected exchangeable face plate. A bore extends inwardly a distance from the recessed surface and a pair of smaller bores are spaced laterally to each side of the larger bore. Each face plate has a flat rear surface corresponding to the recess in the club head. A tapered projection extends outwardly from the center of the rear surface of the face plate and a pair of smaller dowels are spaced laterally to each side of the tapered projection to be received in the bores in the recessed surface. A set screw carried in a threaded bore extending upward from the sole or bottom portion forces a small cylindrical clamping plunger into engagement with the tapered projection to secure the face plate to the club head.